Star Wars - the Legend Continues

I love the movies.  From frivolous flicks to more arty films, I love 'em all.  There are few things I like better then watching a craftily told story unfold through the magic of moving pictures, especially when it is experienced with others either in a theatre or at home with a bunch of friends or family.

One of my earliest movie memories is of Star Wars.  What kid of the late '70s early '80s wasn't enthralled by Star Wars?  Heck!  Han Solo was the reason I wanted to become an astronaut...until two things changed my mind.  First the space shuttle Challenger exploded changing my perception of space travel.  I think it made me aware of the differences between reality and the fantasy portrayed in the movies (I was only six years old).   Secondly I realized that Han Solo and Indiana Jones were the same dude (I don't remember watching any Indiana Jones until much later - but somehow I knew who he was).  I thought to myself, that's what I want to be,  not Han or Indy but Harrison!!  He gets to do it all!! And thus my love affair with movies began. 

The enduring appeal of Star Wars amazes me.  Beyond the sheer power of the Lucas (and now Disney) marketing machine (not to mention the power of the force), the movies themselves stand-up amazingly well against time.  Not only do I enjoy watching the films, as much now as ever, but my girls are in a huge Star Wars phase right now.  The fact that my girls are as captivated by the movies as I was when I was a kid, thirty years after the originals were made is testament to the power of good story telling. 

It's a great shared experience with the girls too.  They ask me questions like, "when you were a kid, who was your favourite character?"  I think they get a kick out of thinking about me as a little kid watching Star Wars like them.  They're equally amused and puzzled about the fact that Star Wars episodes I - III were not around when I was a kid (cue the realization light bulb over their heads that I'm older then they thought).

Truth be told, watching them get excited and wrapped up in the Star Wars universe and mythology and their joy whenever we watch or talk about the movies sure does bring back memories and subsequently makes me feel young and adventurous once again.  It's fun.